by Robin Fiedler
Start adding up the dollar value of all those gift-card balances, and take advantage of year-end clearance sales. The last shopping week of the year is the best time to redeem gift cards while stores promote inventory clearance sales. 
The week after Christmas is a great time to buy next year's Christmas decorations or invest in that fake tree. Retailers are desperate to unload holiday decorations and Christmas tree inventory. Home Depot has 50% off holiday decorations, and Target is offering 30 to 50% off decorations.
Both Home Depot and Lowes are promoting sales on storage and organization bins and shelves, the kind we use to pack up and store those holiday decorations. It's also a popular time to clean out and reorganize storage space for closets, garages, and attics. Home organization is at the top of New Year's resolution lists, and it'll be popular again at spring-cleaning time. Retailers have the same goal.
Department stores and big retailers are focusing on percent-off sales for home appliances, bed, bath, and clothing. Target has up to 75% off 'last chance' sales and Sears has up to 60% off with more weekend "Black Friday" promotions 7am to noon. Kmart offers up to 30% off "almost everything" in a 2-day online sale.
For electronics, Apple is promoting accessories for new iPod and iPhone owners with 10% off Bose speakerdock. Dell is having 25% off desktop deals until Dec. 31.
Best Buy as well is focusing on computer sales with up to $100 off on:
- Lenovo 10.1" netbook $197
- Dell Studio 17" notebook $700
- Asus G60 16" gaming notebook $900
- Acer nettop computer and 20" monitor $280
From Dec. 27 through Jan. 2, Best Buy will offer HP TouchSmart all-in-one computers for $800-$900 depending on memory. The "PC Home Makeover" "bundle, featuring an HP desktop, monitor, laptop, netbook, wireless router and Geek Squad network setup for only $1199.99" lasts until mid-January.
Walmart's "After Christmas Week of Savings" promotions which go through New Year's Day involve clearing out decorations and toys with up to 50% off. Other sales include an EMachine netbook for $228 and Xbox 360 deals for $199-$299 with $50 gift cards at purchase.
Year-end sales are the last chance for retailers to clear out inventory for the New Year, so instead of letting gift cards collect dust, shoppers can find deals on the gifts that Santa forgot to put under the tree or get organized with storage bins and shelves for all those gifts they did receive. As for packing up those decorations, deals may be so good right now that you can replace them with new ones and donate the old decorations to your favorite charity, just maybe...
Sources
"Best Buy® Makes It Easy to Give Yourself the Gift of a New Computer." Best Buy 22 Dec. 2009.
"Walmart Takes Deep Savings Into Days After Christmas." Walmart. 23 Dec, 2009.
COUPON TIME
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